Notification device

Abstract

A notification device includes: a notification-sound output portion provided in a vehicle and configured to output a notification sound toward the outside of the vehicle; a notification display portion provided in the vehicle and configured to output a notification display toward the outside of the vehicle; a notification controlling portion configured to control the notification sound of the notification-sound output portion and the notification display of the notification display portion; and a stop-state determination portion configured to determine whether the vehicle during the automatic driving enters a stop state or not. When the stop-state determination portion determines that the vehicle during the automatic driving enters the stop state, the notification controlling portion outputs a stop-time notification sound as the notification sound by the notification-sound output portion and outputs a stop-time notification display as the notification display by the notification display portion.

What is claimed is: 
     
       1. A method comprising:
 determining whether a vehicle enters a start state during automatic driving; and 
 in response to determining that the vehicle enters the start state during the automatic driving, outputting a start-state notification sound and a start-state notification display toward an outside of the vehicle, wherein the start state is a state in which a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined start threshold. 
 
     
     
       2. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the start-state notification sound is an intermittent sound. 
     
     
       3. The method according to  claim 2 , wherein:
 the start-state notification sound changes in volume or frequency as time elapses; 
 the start-state notification display changes in luminescence or chromaticity as time elapses; and 
 the change of the start-state notification sound corresponds to the change of the start-state notification display. 
 
     
     
       4. The method according to  claim 3 , wherein:
 the start-state notification display is a flashing display; and 
 a sound-production timing of the start-state notification sound as the intermittent sound corresponds to a lighting timing of the start-state notification display as the flashing display. 
 
     
     
       5. The method according to  claim 1 , wherein the start-state notification sound and the start-state notification display are output such that the start-state notification sound and the start-state notification display correspond to each other. 
     
     
       6. The method according to  claim 1 , further comprising:
 determining whether the vehicle enters a deceleration state during automatic driving; and 
 in response to determining that the vehicle enters the deceleration state during the automatic driving, outputting a deceleration-time notification sound. 
 
     
     
       7. A notification device provided in a vehicle that travels by automatic driving and configured to perform notification to surroundings around the vehicle, the notification device comprising:
 a notification-sound output portion provided in the vehicle and configured to output a notification sound toward an outside of the vehicle; 
 a notification display portion provided in the vehicle and configured to output a notification display toward the outside of the vehicle; 
 a notification controlling portion configured to control the notification sound of the notification-sound output portion and the notification display of the notification display portion; and 
 a start-state determination portion configured to determine whether the vehicle during the automatic driving enters a start state or not, 
 wherein, when the start-state determination portion determines that the vehicle during the automatic driving enters the start state, the notification controlling portion outputs a start-state notification sound as the notification sound by the notification-sound output portion and outputs a start-state notification display as the notification display by the notification display portion, wherein the start state is a state in which a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined start threshold. 
 
     
     
       8. The notification device according to  claim 7 , wherein the start-state notification sound and the start-state notification display are output such that the start-state notification sound and the start-state notification display correspond to each other. 
     
     
       9. The notification device according to  claim 7 , wherein:
 the start-state notification sound changes in volume or frequency as time elapses; 
 the start-state notification display changes in luminescence or chromaticity as time elapses; and 
 the notification controlling portion causes the change of the start-state notification sound to correspond to the change of the start-state notification display. 
 
     
     
       10. The notification device according to  claim 9 , wherein:
 the start-state notification sound is an intermittent sound; 
 the start-state notification display is a flashing display; and 
 the notification controlling portion causes a sound-production timing of the start-state notification sound as the intermittent sound to correspond to a lighting timing of the start-state notification display as the flashing display. 
 
     
     
       11. The notification device according to  claim 7 , further comprising:
 a deceleration-state determination portion configured to determine whether the vehicle enters a deceleration state during automatic driving; and 
 in response to the deceleration state-determination portion determining that the vehicle enters the deceleration state during the automatic driving, the notification sound outputting a deceleration-time notification sound as the notification sound. 
 
     
     
       12. A non-transitory storage medium provided in a vehicle that travels by automatic driving and configured to perform notification to surroundings around the vehicle, the storage medium comprising:
 a notification-sound output portion provided in the vehicle and configured to output a notification sound toward an outside of the vehicle; 
 a notification display portion provided in the vehicle and configured to output a notification display toward the outside of the vehicle; 
 a notification controlling portion configured to control the notification sound of the notification-sound output portion and the notification display of the notification display portion; and 
 a start-state determination portion configured to determine whether the vehicle during the automatic driving enters a start state or not, 
 wherein, when the start-state determination portion determines that the vehicle during the automatic driving enters the start state, the notification controlling portion outputs a start-state notification sound as the notification sound by the notification-sound output portion and outputs a start-state notification display as the notification display by the notification display portion, wherein the start state is a state in which a speed of the vehicle exceeds a predetermined start threshold. 
 
     
     
       13. The non-transitory storage medium according to  claim 12 , wherein the start-state notification sound and the start-state notification display are output such that the start-state notification sound and the start-state notification display correspond to each other. 
     
     
       14. The non-transitory storage medium according to  claim 13 , wherein:
 the start-state notification sound is an intermittent sound; 
 the start-state notification display is a flashing display; and 
 the notification controlling portion causes a sound-production timing of the start-state notification sound as the intermittent sound to correspond to a lighting timing of the start-state notification display as the flashing display. 
 
     
     
       15. The non-transitory storage medium according to  claim 12 , wherein:
 the start-state notification sound changes in volume or frequency as time elapses; 
 the start-state notification display changes in luminescence or chromaticity as time elapses; and 
 the notification controlling portion causes the change of the start-state notification sound to correspond to the change of the start-state notification display. 
 
     
     
       16. The non-transitory storage medium according to  claim 12 , further comprising:
 a deceleration-state determination portion configured to determine whether the vehicle enters a deceleration state during automatic driving; and 
 in response to the deceleration state-determination portion determining that the vehicle enters the deceleration state during the automatic driving, the notification sound outputting a deceleration-time notification sound as the notification sound.